Courtesy Photo | U.S. Soldiers assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division, and family members, stand as...... read more read more
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FORT BRAGG, N.C. – Paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division concluded All-American Week with a memorial ceremony at the division museum today honoring those who have given their lives during Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom.
The memorial is a way for past and present paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division and family members to pay respect to those in the division who have lost their lives.
“This is the living legacy of the 82nd Airborne Division” said Sgt. J. Barry Clark, retired, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment veteran.
Clark represented paratroopers who served in the Dominican Republic Campaign during their time in the division. He and other campaign representatives laid wreaths for their former units.
“There are 13 names over there [on the memorial] of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice,” said Clark. “They were my brothers and this is very emotional for all of us.”
Sgt. Maj. Rowan Joseph, the operations sergeant major with the 1st Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, helped plan the ceremony.
“Without our Gold Star family members, there’d be no memorial,” Rowan said.
Jennifer Allgaier, a Gold Star family member from Fayetteville, N.C., lost her husband, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Christopher Allgaier, on Memorial Day in 2007 when he was serving with the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade in Afghanistan. She and her three daughters attended the memorial and were emotionally struck during the playing of taps.
“Taps plays and it takes you back to that day in Arlington,” said Allgaier, “That’s very emotional.”
Gold Star family members also agreed that it is important that their loved ones are never forgotten.
“My son loved being with the 82nd,” said Janet Williams.
Williams, of Murrieta, Calif., attended the memorial to honor her son, Sgt. Eric Williams, a flight medic who was killed last year in Afghanistan while serving with the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade.
Although memorials affect all people differently, soldiers and families appreciate the time spent remembering those they have lost.
“We come to these grounds to pay tribute to those warriors who have come home on their shields,” said Gen. Dan K. McNeil, former commander of the 82nd Airborne Division. “They were noble in life and noble in death.”
| Date Taken: | 05.23.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 05.28.2013 12:06 |
| Story ID: | 107643 |
| Location: | FORT BRAGG, NC, US |
| Hometown: | FAYETTEVILLE, NC, US |
| Hometown: | MURRIETA, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 139 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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